I must have made beef stroganoff to a different recipe each time I’ve made it. There’s always beef, always mushrooms, always paprika and a creamy element. But like many of the best recipes, once you hit the familiar targets the rest falls where it may.

I’ve tried this version from Lawrence Keogh on Saturday Kitchen. The key here is the acidity brought by the white wine vinegar and white wine, which gives you a great contrast against the cream. This dish has everything going for it, a sharp-creamy sauce, crunchy pickles, tender meat – what a treat.

Adapted from Lawrence Keogh’s recipe. His recipe calls for a pilaff too, I sped it up by using plain boiled rice on the side

Beef stroganoff (serves 4):

450g rump steak pounded thin and cut into long strips

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

30g butter

½ onion, finely chopped

150g button mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon tomato purée

50ml white wine vinegar

75ml white wine

200ml double cream

A few slices of gherkin, julienned

125ml sour cream

Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 pinch sweet paprika

1. Sprinkle the beef strips with the paprika and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large frying pan with the vegetable oil. Colour the beef as quickly as possible, making sure you keep them as rare as possible, then tip the meat into a colander, reserving any juices that drain off.
3. Using the same pan, turn the heat down and add the butter, onion and mushrooms and cook for one minute.
4. Add the tomato purée and cook for few more minutes, stirring the ingredients together. Turn the heat up again and add the white wine vinegar. Cook until completely evaporated.
5. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half then pour in the double cream, bring to a boil, and season with salt and  pepper.
6. Turn off the heat and tip in the beef and juices. Stir through to warm.
7. To serve, pour the stroganoff into a large warmed serving dish and sprinkle with dill pickle. Drizzle the sour cream over the top then sprinkle with chopped parsley and dust with paprika. Serve with rice.